The planning committee for our small campus group was intently discussing the upcoming school year. There was an earnest desire to see students won for the Saviour. There were only a few of us, but what was that to the Lord? We had been given a small amount of money to finance our activities, and it would have to be used wisely. What kind of activities should we have?
One in the number suggested bringing in a singing group–Christian, of course. He had some friends in Toronto who would hold a concert–for a fee, of course. We would totally deplete our funds, so we would have to charge admission–of course. Seems it was the Christian thing to do.
The committee was underwhelmed with the idea. I wasn’t on the committee that year, but happened to be sitting in that night. Someone turned to me, “What do you think is the best way to reach the campus?”
“I’d suggest a week of gospel meetings.”
“Gospel meetings? What are they?” Most in the group came from various evangelical churches.
“Well, first of all, you arrange for someone who really knows how to present the gospel message. You book a lecture hall on campus. Then you pray–lots of prayer. When the time gets close, you put up some posters inviting everyone, and you work on your friends to come with you and hear more of what you’ve been telling them about the Lord.
“At the meeting itself, you have a few gospel songs–some they would know, like ‘Amazing Grace’–and ask the Lord to bless the time. Then the gospel is preached, and afterward you talk to the visitors, asking them what they thought, if they had any questions, and inviting them back. If they show real interest, it may be we’ll have the opportunity of pointing some of them to the Lord Jesus.”
“What a great idea!” Where had I come up with such a plan, they wondered. Of course, I had grown up with gospel meetings. Four or five weeks of such meetings was not uncommon. My mother was saved during a 13-week campaign!
Well, those gospel meetings on campus really worked. Do you know why? Because the Christians worked. They thought it was a great idea. They worked, and God worked. The whole campus was stirred. The room was so packed that some of us had to stand outside. Some were saved. Others were restored, coming out of hiding to identify with the Lord at that time.
The followers of the Maharishi Maheesh Yogi who were meeting down the hall asked us to stop our singing because they couldn’t meditate. We respectfully suggested that they join us and meditate on the greatest Person who ever lived. The campus paper sent a reporter; the campus radio announced the meetings. It was a time of great encouragement.
Gospel meetings are a great idea. They were not my idea, nor did it begin with the elders of my assembly. The New Testament reveals this 20/20 vision–Acts 20:20–as Paul makes his great appeal to the Ephesian elders. He presents three important couplets: one to do with the methods, one with the audience, and one with the subject. Their methods were twofold: publicly and from house to house. Private contacts are essential, but we will never fulfill the Great Commission that way. There must be the public proclamation of the gospel.
The second couplet (in verse 21) deals with the audience: all sinners, both Jew and Gentile. There was no discussion of demographics, of selecting a certain slice of humanity at the exclusion of others. The seed should be sown indiscriminately across the soil. Of course we use different approaches to reach different types of people; the Lord did. But He left no one out in His sowing. This is the wonder of the Church; there are no barriers now. See Romans 16:23. The same verse links the greetings of two brethren in the Lord: Erastus, treasurer of Corinth (historians tell us he donated the royal mile leading into the city) and Quartus, obviously a slave with only a number for a name (No. 4). It’s level ground at the cross. Let’s keep it that way.
The third couplet presents the message preached in the early Church. It is stark in its simplicity: repentance toward God–agreeing with Him about the problem (my sin), and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ–agreeing with Him about the answer (His Son).
Let’s get back to living it and sharing it and preaching it. It’s one of God’s great ideas.